


Wrong Number

by BadWolfRose (BadWolf1988)



Category: Dog The Bounty Hunter
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Humor, Older Man/Younger Woman, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2018-09-21 17:57:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 9,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9560450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadWolf1988/pseuds/BadWolfRose
Summary: Belle Harlow was cramming for final exams and trying not to catch a murder charge for strangling her Taylor Swift obsessed roommate when she got the text message that would change her life:***What are you wearing?***Duane Lee Chapman was trying to mess with his little brother when he buys a new cell phone. His innocent (indecent) text gets answered with a snarky reply that leaves Duane Lee intrigued:***Not a smile, buddy boy***





	1. Chapter 1

“He tells me about his night

And I count the colors in his eyes

He'll never fall in love he swears

As he runs his fingers through his hair

I'm laughing cause I hope he's wrong...”

 

“Urgh!” I slammed my European History book closed.

I was having enough trouble studying for my final exams without the banshee that was known as Taylor Swift making it worse.

I had asked my roommate, Kendra to turn down the music three different times. Every time she would turn the music down a notch or two only to turn it right back up the moment she heard my bedroom door close.

 

“I could tell you his favorite color's green

He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth

His sister's beautiful, he has his father's eyes

And if you asked me if I love him,

I'd lie...”

 

Somebody really needed to have a talk with the dude in this song. He needed a restraining order. T. Swift was obviously stalking him.

I stood from my desk chair and stretched as the song change. Did Kendra listen to anything besides Taylor Swift?

 

“We were both young when I first saw you

I close my eyes and the flashback starts:

I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air...”

 

Okay, Miss Taylor sounded like she was allowed to read way too many romance novels when she was younger.

My smartphone lighting up on my nightstand caught my attention. I really hoped that it wasn't another text from my mom reminding me that finals were only three days away. I was stressed enough without my mother playing human doomsday countdown.

 

“You were Romeo, I was the scarlet letter,

And my daddy said, “Stay away from Juliet.”

But you were everything to me...”

 

Okay, seriously? Had Taylor Swift actually ever read The Scarlet Letter? I'm betting the answer was no. If she had she would have known that her lyrics implied that everyone was saying Juliet was a whore. Exactly how many Prince Charmings had there been?

I shook my head at the songwriter's stupidity and checked my phone. I had a text message from a local number that I didn't know. Curiously, I opened it.

***What are you wearing?***

“Damn it, Kendra!” I muttered to myself. She must have given my number out to another guy at a frat party.

I quickly sent a bitchy reply as the song changed again. Taylor Fucking Swift again!

 

“The story starts when it was hot and it was summer and...

I had it all, I had him right there where I wanted him

She came along, got him alone and let's hear the applause

She took him fast than you could say “sabotage”

 

Okay, now she was making the guy in the song sound like a toy or to quote Princess Jasmin, “A prize to be won,”

I looked at my alarm clock as Kendra turned the music up even further. It was after midnight. Wonderful. I was getting creepy text messages, I was so burnt out that I was probably going to fail out of college, and now my poor mother was going to have to visit her youngest child in prison. Seriously, if the bitch who lived in the next bedroom played one more Taylor Swift song I was going to catch a murder charge.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, this is going to be one of those stories that bounces back forth between the male and female POV.
> 
> I have no clue how old Dylan Chapman is. To Duane Lee's immense credit, he has been kept well out of the spotlight. I know he is either a teenager or a young adult but I made him younger for the sake of this story.
> 
> I'm not turning Leland into an asshole or villain, despite what this chapter might make you think. I'm just trying to add some family drama.

As I plugged my new phone into the charge in the wall and turned it on, I decided to have a little fun.

My little brother, Leland, moved to Alabama a few years ago and has been pretty non-existant from the family ever since. I decided it was time make him suffer a little bit.

***What are you wearing?***

I sent the text with a smirk. Knowing Leland (who was newly married), he would probably think that it was the ghost of booty calls past and freak out.

“Dad, what are you doing?”

I looked up to find my seven-year-old son, Dylan, standing next to the couch.

“Setting up my new phone and messing with your Uncle Leland.” Dylan rolled his eyes at that. “What are you doing out of bed, bud?”

“I wanted a glass of water.” The boy yawned. “Why are you messing with Uncle Leland? It's not like he comes to visit anymore...”

Dylan was probably more bitter than me when it came to Leland moving away. My son had idolized his uncle and now he was lucky to get a phone call on his birthday.

I just sighed and got to my feet to get him a glass of water. How could I explain to a second grader the dysfunctional mess that was our family? And to be honest...I couldn't explain Leland leaving. He was the last one out of all of the kids that I ever would have expected to bolt so far away from the family. He had been our father's constant shadow for over twenty years. The family naturally expected him to take over after Dad. Now I lived in Denver and ran the office here, Beth was running things in Hawaii, and Leland barely spoke to anyone in the family unless he had to. I'm pretty sure he hadn't spoken to Baby Lyssa in at least a year. Not surprising...they never were very close and Lyssa hadn't been very nice to him in her book but still...

After putting Dylan back to bed, I arrived back in the living room to find my phone blinking indicating that I had a text message.

Figuring it was Leland begging who he assumed was some crazy child to get lost, I opened it.

***Not a smile, buddy boy!***

What the hell? This was not Leland. I quickly checked the phone number. Fuck! I had dialed a Denver area code without thinking!

***I am so sorry! I was trying to text my brother.***

I quickly sent an apology so whoever I had texted didn't think I was some creepy pervert. I was surprised when I quickly got a response.

***And here I thought you we're just another frat boy my roommate gave my number to. You and your brother have a weird relationship BTW.***

Just another frat boy? Great, it sounded like I had sent my creepy text message to a college girl...who now thought that there was something seriously wrong with me and Leland.

***It was a prank...a bad one...long story...***

Why did I feel the need to explain anything to this girl that I had texted by mistake?

*You were trying to make him think you were a crazy ex, huh? Yeah, I did that to my brother once...he almost took out a restraining order and then didn't speak to me for an entire summer.***

I laughed aloud at that. Whoever this chick was she had the mind of a true evil prankster.

***You know it...***

That was the best I could come up? And yet again....why did I care?

***So, from one asshole to another. If your horrible roommate loves Taylor Swift...how do you kill Taylor Swift and get away with it?***

I had to cover my mouth with my hand to avoid laughing so hard that I woke up Dylan.

***Push her off of her high horse and pretend she fell?***

Her next response had me hoping to be this girl's new best friend.

***You have passed the smartass test. You are awesome. You may live.***


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Picture to Burn. Yet again, it belongs to the crybaby known as Taylor Swift.

“State the obvious,

I didn’t get my perfect fantasy

I realize you love yourself more than you could ever love me.

So, go and tell your friends that I’m obsessive and crazy,

That’s fine!

I’ll tell mine, you’re gay!”

 

“Dear Lord in heaven, please grant me the strength not to kill her.” I prayed as I looked over at my alarm clock.

It was four in the morning and I had to be up in an hour to work my morning shift at Safeway. I’m pretty sure that Kendra hadn’t even been to bed yet. To make matters worse, after work, I had to sit for my finals. I was a junior at the University of Colorado where I was double majoring in American and European History and it was killing me slowly.

I reached over and grabbed my phone off of the nightstand. If it wasn’t going to get any more sleep, I might as well play a quest or two on Plants vs Zombies 2.

I was surprised to find that I had a text message waiting for me.

***Heading into work early and just wanted to wish you luck on your finals.

-Asshole #2***

I laughed. It was the mysterious friend that I had made a few days ago. And when I say mysterious...I mean mysterious. We knew almost nothing about each other...not even each other's names. He knew that I was a college student who worked some kind of retail job. I knew that he was a single father that talked about going into the office and working late chasing fugitives. I figured that he was some kind of cop. We both enjoyed talking to someone who wouldn’t know us from Adam if we met on the street. Venting to a stranger was strangely therapeutic. So...we have decided to simply use nicknames. I was Asshole #1 and he was Asshole # 2. His text had only been sent half an hour earlier.

***Thanks! Looks like I’m going to need it. I’ve been up since 2. Operation kill T. Swift is a go!

-Asshole #1***

For someone at work, he answered pretty quickly. I had to wonder about how good of a cop he was.

***Boo, you know if the FBI ever gets ahold of these texts, we are totally going to prison for conspiracy to commit murder, right?

-Asshole #2***

I laughed again as I sent a reply.

***Nope! Only you! I’m a broke college girl. This is a pre-paid phone...and I was bored so I registered it to John Dillinger. Thought you were at work?

-Asshole #1***

I was about to roll out of bed but he responded quickly once again.

***I am. Waiting on someone at the airport so I have a few minutes.

-Asshole #2***

I looked at the tiny clock on top of my phone’s screen and sighed.

***Sadly, I do not. I have to start getting ready for work/school.

-Asshole #1***

My morning was going incredibly slow...like slower than molasses in December. I was the customer service manager on duty that morning so I had gone about the morning cash count and logged on the registers. After that, I went back to my post at the counter - where I sold Western Union, lotto tickets, and gave refunds - and was bored out of my mind. I hated the morning shift. At this hour, most customers were coming in simply to get coffee from the in-store Starbucks.

I was leaning against the counter, flipping through a copy of People Magazine when a gruff voice scared the hell out of me.

“Excuse me, sista...”

Sista? Who talks like that?

I looked up to find Dog the Bounty Hunter and a bulky dude with pretty blue eyes standing in front of me.

What the hell? I didn’t know much about the man but I thought he lived in Hawaii.

“Can I help you?” I asked as I closed my magazine.

Why was the bulky dude staring at me so intently?

“Yeah, I was wondering if you had seen this guy coming in to pick up any Western Unions in the last few weeks?” He passed me a mugshot printed on a piece of computer paper.

Holy shit! It was Danny the Pervert from the park! He loved to yell vulgar things to me in the afternoons when I took my mom's dogs for a walk.

“Not in here.” I shook my head. “But I do see him almost every afternoon in Congress Park.”

“Where in the park?” The big guy spoke up.

“By the picnic area...he yells...rude things when I walk my mom’s pugs.”

Once they were gone, I pulled out my phone.

***So...Dog the Bounty Hunter was just at my job.

-Asshole # 1***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I did NOT change the lyrics to Picture to Burn...Taylor Swift did...I just changed them back, The lyrics I used (complete with backhanded homophobic comment) are the ORIGINAL lyrics to Picture to Burn. I’m assuming T. Swift’s record label made her change the lyrics for radio play. The LGBT community probably wouldn’t have liked the song too much if they realized little Miss Swift used “You’re gay!” as an insult. I’m the proud auntie of a lesbian and the lifelong best friend of a gay man and honestly, the song pisses me off so I wanted to point out a change that no one seemed to notice. I’ve seen celebrities attacked for saying much tamer things and I don’t think Taylor Swift should be able to get away with it simply because she’s Taylor Swift.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: My husband actually has the ringtone that Duane Lee has in this chapter. Yes, it really is a thing and it will get you some delightful looks while out in public.
> 
> Author’s Note II: For those who are wondering, Maurice Benard is the name of the actor who plays Sonny Corinthos on General Hospital.

“Hey, googly eyes!” Beth snapped from the driver’s seat. “Head back in the game! The park is five minutes away.”

“My head is in the game!” I snapped back.

Okay, so the cashier at Safeway had been really beautiful. She was blonde, petite, and had dark brown, almost black eyes. She wasn’t my usual type but...damn! I should have gotten her phone number.

My phone went off, playing Deadpool saying, “You’re about to be killed by a zamboni!”

I had a text message.

*** So, Dog the Bounty Hunter was just at my job.

-Asshole #1 ***

Before I could actually process that text message, another arrived.

*** And I actually knew the dude he was looking for! Maybe this is some kind of cosmic sign that I’ll also know all of the answers on my finals. Here’s hoping...

-Asshole #1 ***

“You have to be fucking kidding me,” I muttered to myself.

*** No way!!!

-Asshole #2 ***

It was all I could think to text back. So...it looked like I already had the phone number of the beautiful cashier. I had spent the last two days texting non-stop with her. She had pretty awesome sense of humor. Now, not only did I know what she looked like but I also knew her name because it had been on her name tag...Belle. I’m pretty sure even her name meant beautiful.

“You’re about to be killed by a zamboni!”

“Duane Lee, I swear to God if I hear Ryan Reynolds voice one more time...” Beth let the threat hang in the air as she parked the SUV close to the picnic area at Congress Park.

I set my phone to vibrate before opening Belle’s next text.

*** He had this really hot guy with him. What is with me and older dudes? I blame early exposure to Maurice Benard.

-Asshole #1 ***

“Come on, Belle...” I groaned.

She was attracted to me too. I really had no idea what to do but I would have to worry about it later. Dad wanted me to take a quick walk of the area to look for our guy.

I sent Belle a quick reply before getting out of the SUV.

*** You know you’re talking to a dude, right? And who the FUCK is Maurice Benard?!

Asshole #2 ***

As suspected, the guy was nowhere to be found so the team decided to break for a few hours. My dad and nephew, Dakota, went to the office to go over my list of jumps. I convinced Beth to come out with me for a late breakfast so I could get her advice.

I didn’t have many women I could turn to for advice. Barbara Katie was gone, Cecily was way too young, and while I loved my younger sister, but when it came to relationships, Baby Lyssa was, well...a train wreck. My real mom was a born again Christian who would tell me to turn to Jesus and do nothing but talk about God’s will if I tried talking to her about Belle. This only left Beth.

“So, does this have anything to do with all the texts you were getting earlier?” Beth eyed me from across the table. “I’m going to go ahead and thank you ahead of time for the Deadpool nightmares I’ll be having tonight.”

“Yeah,” I nodded but stopped talking as the waitress delivered my coffee and Beth’s iced tea.

“I’m also going to guess this has something to do with a woman.”

“Oh, yeah,” I chuckled and ran my fingers through my goatee.

I proceeded to tell my stepmother the entire story. I told her how I had met Belle and I told her about the twist of fate that had us meeting face to face.

“Now, I know who she is, she doesn’t know who I am...and I don’t know how to correct the situation!” I vented just as our meals were delivered.

“You like her, she said she likes you...just ask her out and tell her the truth.” Beth shrugged as she unwrapped her flatware.

“Don’t want to do that.” I shook my head as I took a bite of toast. “I like being her friend...I don’t want to lose that.”

Bitching to Belle when I was in a bad mood (which was often when I was working) had become one of my favorite things to do. She always had a smartass reply that would make me laugh and then she would go off developing outlandish plots to kill Taylor Swift. It cheered me up every time. Belle could also be a soothing presence. I had known her for three days. On the second day of our friendship, I had a little too much whiskey after Dylan had gone to bed. I had ended up telling her all about Leland and how I felt like he had abandoned the family...and me. She hadn’t judged me. She didn’t even offer up an opinion of any kind. She just told me that she understood and was there for me.

Beth stared at me like she was studying me for a couple of seconds before asking, “Duane Lee, are you in love with this girl?”

I choked on a piece of omelet and had to take a quick sip of my coffee.

“Are you nuts?” I coughed and rubbed my throat. “I barely know her.”

Beth smiled and shook her head, “I knew that I loved your daddy the moment I met him. Trust your heart, brah.”

Terrific. I had come to Beth for help and now I was even more confused than before.


	5. Chapter 5

 It was in the early evening and I had the apartment all to myself. It was Friday night. Kendra would be out partying until at least early Sunday morning. School had officially been out for the summer for two weeks. I was so relaxed that it wasn't even funny. Grades had been posted last week and while I wasn't at the top of the class, I also wasn't at the bottom.

“ _A baby's gotta do, what a baby's gotta do.”_

The voice of Tommy Pickles alerted me to a text message from Asshole # 2. Tommy was his ringtone because he told me that he secretly watched _Rugrats_ reruns when he was alone and couldn't sleep.

_*** So...from asshole to another...if I had been texting with this really amazing girl for weeks and I found out who she was only a few days into it even though she thinks we're anonymous...what would it take to get that beautiful Belle to forgive me?_

_-I think I should take the title, Asshole # 1. I've earned it fair and square. ***_

“What the fuck?!” I pushed myself into a seated position. I had been lying on my back on the cheap purple futon in my tiny living room.

“ _A baby's gotta do, what a baby's gotta do.”_

I was petrified. I wasn't even sure that I wanted to read the text but my fingers moved by themselves.

_*** Before you freak out, please, watched the attached video._

_\- You (about not to be) Secret Admirer_

_-ATTCH (MP3 file) I'm Sorry ***_

Again, my fingers pressed play before my brain gave them permission.

The video had been shot using his cell phone camera. The man holding the cell phone had my heart racing faster than a horse at the _Kentucky Derb_ y the moment I saw his handsome face.

“ _Belle, I know you are probably pretty pissed right now...and with good reason. My name's Duane Lee Chapman...Dog the Bounty Hunter's son. I completely understand if you are mad.”_ The camera shook as he nodded his head. _“The day I met you and I realized who you were, I should have clued you in but...I was scared.”_ This really surprised me. What was there to be scared of? I was a twenty-two-year-old college kid. He was Dog the Bounty Hunter's good looking son. _“I enjoyed being your friend and I didn't want to lose you if we dated and things went south. You have one of the coolest, most unique personalities that I have ever come across and you are...stunning is the only word that I can think of to describe you. I don't know of a man alive who wouldn't want you...but I still kept you at arm's length...and kept the secret. It sounds pathetic but you, some girl that I met once and only spoke to via text had become my best friend...I needed your texts after awhile.”_ He chuckled bitterly before turning serious and looking directly into the camera. _“But I'm a selfish man. The texts aren't enough anymore. I don't just want to text you when I've had a bad day...I want to call you and know you'll pick up. Hell, I want to climb in bed and have you beside me._ _I want to go on dates with you. I want to make love to you. I want you to meet my kid and hard to please family. I know that you're young and I know that I've messed up but if you can forgive me and if you think you could handle an overprotective, overworked, single father loving you...I'm all yours, boo. If you want to be with me...just call me, Belle. I promise you won't regret it._ ” The video went black.

This time, my fingers knew exactly what they were doing when they went to my contact list and found Asshole # 2.

He answered halfway through the second ring.

“Hey, boo.” His voice was warm but cautious.

“Hey, Duane Lee,” My voice shook as I suddenly realized the chance that I was taking.

“You don't have to be scared of me, Belle.” He soothed before gently pressing, “Just tell me why you're calling me right now, boo.”

“I'm a virgin...and the reason I'm older that most of the other people in my year at school is because I had a heroin addiction in high school and was in and out of rehab but I'm almost four years clean...just thought you should know.” The word vomit spilled out before I could phrase my words more eloquently.

He chuckled huskily on the other end of the line, “A woman that's exclusively mine...boo, you are every man's dream.” His words had a shiver running down my spine. “And your past made you who you are...and the person you are is someone to be proud of. I know I'd be proud to call you mine...past and all.”

“I want you to...call me yours that is.” I stumbled over my words. “And, if you have someone to watch your son...I'd really like to see you.”

“Text me your address real quick.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

Without hanging up, I did as he requested.

“Dylan's with his grandparents in Hawaii until the end of next week and I'm only about twenty minutes away...wanna take a drive with me, boo?”

I smiled. He really did pay attention to the random things I talked about in my texts. I had told him that my idea of a perfect date was driving around aimlessly in the dark while talking and holding hands.

“I'd love that.” I giggled like a school girl and immediately hated myself for it.

“Do you have to work tomorrow?” This question caught me off guard.

“I'm off all weekend,” I answered. One of the only good things about my job was the fact that I never worked weekends.

“Good, pack a bag...and include your work clothes. I'm stealing you for the weekend.”

 

 

**_[MY WEBSITE](http://www.badwolf1988.wixsite.com/badwolf1988) _ **


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I support Shemar Moore's Baby Girl clothing line because the clothes are affordable no matter your financial circumstances and part of the proceeds of every sale go to MS research. My big sister was diagnosed close to ten years ago. The two of us might not get along (hell, we can't stand each other most of the time) but I do love her and I wouldn't wish what she has on my worst enemy.

As I pulled into a parking space in front of Belle's dingy little apartment, I tried not to cringe. The complex was not well maintained. The orange paint was peeling, at least half of the streetlights were out and trash littered the parking lot. The property itself was on the wrong side of Denver. If Belle ever wanted to fall off the wagon, I'm sure one of her neighbors would be happy to assist her. I'm pretty sure the crew had made a few arrests here over the years.

Her apartment was on the first floor and had a large picture window facing the parking lot. I saw the blue curtains part and her cute little face peeking out for just a brief moment and couldn't help but chuckle. I killed the engine, got out, and locked the truck before making my way to her door.

I only had to knock once before she was pulling the door open.

You wouldn't find the beauty standing before me on TV or any movie screen. You wouldn't find her on any magazine cover or as the most buzzed about topic on any gossip blog. The reason was simple. Belle was a real woman, a young woman, but still a woman. She was dressed in a pair of black leggings and a baggy long-sleeved t-shirt that was red and had the words Baby Girl across the chest in white lettering across her chest. She wasn't wearing a lick of makeup and her naturally blonde hair was pulled up into a high and messy ponytail. To me, she looked like a goddess.

“Hey,” She said shyly. “Come in,” She stepped aside.

She was out of her depth and it was adorable. Gone was the smartass who spent way too much time planning the death of Taylor Swift. In her place was a shy college girl that had no idea how to act around me.

I stepped inside and turned to shut the door behind me. When I turned back around, I found her standing in the entrance way chewing on her thumbnail.

I walked to stand in front of her and gently pulled her thumb from her mouth. “Relax, boo. It's just me.” I told her as I took her hand and led her into the living room. I took a seat on the futon in a room that had clearly been furnished by Wal-Mart and pulled her to sit down with me. “So, what ways have you come up with to kill Miss Swift today?”

She lit up and visibly relaxed as she said, “I wanna poison her food with rat poison and leave a paper trail pointing to John Mayer because I don't like him either.”

I laughed. Knowing her, she already had to paper trail worked out. “But your body is a wonderland.” I winked at her.

She blushed and looked away. Oops...a little too far. I had to keep reminding myself that Belle was a virgin who was over twenty years younger than me. She wasn't some desperate woman my own age.

I noticed her start to gently tug her sleeves down over her hands and I realized why she was so nervous. She probably had more than a few scars from track marks that got infected and didn't heal properly because she never got them treated. Most heroin addicts didn't.

I reached out and grabbed one of her hands in my own. With my other, I started to pull up her sleeve.

“No!” She tried to stop me.

“Belle...just trust me,” I told her firmly.

She stopped fighting me and with tears in her eyes looked away.

I had to push her sleeve up past her elbow to see them but, sure enough, they were there. Three thumbtack-sized pink scars were hidden on the inside of her arm just below her elbow. The way they were positioned almost made them look like a flower...almost.

“You had to pick that arm,” Belle muttered to herself. “Those are the only ones.” She spoke up but she still wouldn't look at me.

I wanted to show her that she had nothing to be ashamed of. I wanted her to know that there wasn't a damn thing about her that disgusted me or turned me off. I lightly ran my fingertips over the scars before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on the cruel reminder of her past.

Finally, she turned to look at me. There were tears streaming down her face. I released her arm and scooted closer so I could take her in my arms and hold her. “I know who you are, Belle,” I spoke into her hair. “Maybe you'll tell me about who you were in the past. Maybe you won't. Either way, I want to be with you...all of you.” I assured her.

She pushed herself out of my arms and wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her shirt. “Sorry,” She laughed a little bit.

“It's okay, honey.” I smiled at her. “Starting a relationship is scary.” I watched her to gauge her reaction to the word relationship. All she did was smile a little wider.

“You got a bag packed?” I changed the subject.

“Yep,” She nodded. “And I also hid all of Kendra's Taylor Swift CD's...and anytime she tries to play her songs on any device in the apartment, all she will hear is the _Barney_ theme song.”

I was laughing as I got to my feet and helped her to hers. My girl was an evil genius. I really needed to deploy her against Leland sometime in the very near future. Baby brother would never know what hit him.

“You know you had to have spent at least an hour screwing with her playlists and you won't even be here to see her reaction, right?” I pointed out as she grabbed a black backpack off the kitchen counter.

“Yes, but the satisfaction of her knowing I did it and not being able to prove it is enough reward for my black little heart.” She giggled in an almost evil way.

Yep. I was totally going to use her against Leland.

As we headed out the door and she locked up, I knew that Beth had been right. When you love someone and it's meant to be...you just know. While she wasn't ready to hear it yet, I knew that I loved Belle.

 

 

_**[MY WEBSITE](http://www.badwolfrose.com) ** _


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Take a Back Road is copyright © Rodney Atkins. I make no claims of ownership.

We had been driving around Denver aimlessly for over an hour. We held hands and we talked as the radio played a local country station. Duane Lee had just turned off the main highway onto a dimly lit back road when the song changed to one so fitting of the situation that you would think that we were living in a movie and the song was on the soundtrack.

“ _Makes me wanna take a back road_

_Makes me wanna take the long way home._

_Put a little gravel in my travel_

_Unwind, unravel all night long._

_Makes me wanna grab my honey_

_Tear down some two-lane country_

_Who knows?_

_Get lost and get right with my soul_

_Makes me wanna take,_

_Makes me wanna take a back road.”_

I couldn't help myself. The song was just too perfect. I giggled.

“What's so funny over there?” Duane Lee asked with amusement in his tone.

“This song...it seems kinda perfect for right now,” I told him as he pulled off the road onto a dirt stretch.

“Well, we are definitely on a back road and I do have my honey with me.” He squeezed my hand as he pulled the truck to a stop at the edge of a deserted meadow.

“ _Maybe it's the feeling_

_Or maybe it's the freedom_

_Maybe it's that shady spot_

_Where we park the truck when things get hot...”_

“So...is this our shady spot?” I looked at Duane Lee with a smirk.

He laughed and killed the engine and removed the keys from the ignition. “It's our shady spot...but we aren't gettin' hot until the L word is involved.”

Well...that backfired on me. I had been trying to make him laugh but he had gone and turned it serious. His words had me falling even more in love with him. Hold up a second...did I love Duane Lee? Sure, I thought he was hot and I had started watching reruns of  _Dog the Bounty Hunter_ just to see him before I knew that he was Asshole # 2. And yeah, Asshole # 2 had become my best friend. I could talk to him about anything and everything. He always made me feel better. Now that I had met him in person, I found myself completely relaxed in his presence. I could be myself around him. I had also found my attraction doubling. We hadn't even kissed yet but he was still the most affectionate man that I had ever known. From the moment that he had walked in my front door, he was always touching me. I loved it and with a jolt I realized...I really did love him. I was in love with Duane Lee Chapman.

I decided to keep this information to myself as Duane Lee grabbed a blanket out of the backseat before getting out of the truck and retrieving something that I couldn't see and coming around and opening my door. As he held out his hand to help me out, I noticed that he held a small red cooler in the other hand, clutched with the handle of a small lantern.

Duane Lee led me to the middle of the meadow where I helped him spread out the blanket. He placed the cooler on one side of the blue tartan blanket and on the other, he placed the lighted lantern. He sat down and pulled two beers out of the cooler before pulling me down to sit between his legs.

“Where are we?” I questioned as he popped the tops on both beer cans and handed me one.

“On the back side of my property.” He told me as he brought his beer to his lips. Well, that made me feel better about him drinking. “My house is about half a mile that way.” He pointed off somewhere in front of us.

Half a mile? His property was huge!

“Why turn to heroin? Everyone has a reason for using...what's yours?”

So, he was just going to go right for the heavy crap. I took a long sip from my beer before answering, “I'm the youngest out of seven kids, my parents late-in-life oops baby. My oldest brother, Hunter, is a congressman out of Massachusetts. My oldest sister, Carmen, is a lawyer who works out of Paris and is on a first name basis with George Clooney's wife. My sister, Angelica, is a doctor. My brother, Dean, is an FBI agent. My other brother, Ryan is a music producer in Nashville. My sister, Ariel, who's only four years older than me, is a high school teacher who's been named Teacher of the Year twice and she's only been teaching for two years. My parents' house is a shrine to my siblings and their perfect jobs and their perfect families. I was never a perfect student. I was too anti-social for sports teams and all the school clubs my brothers and sisters had excelled at. All my parents ever did was push, 'Harlowes don't cry' they would say. I always felt on the verge of a panic attack. How was I ever going to be anything in life when I didn't even have a passion? A friend at the private school I attended gave me my first taste. When I used, the anxiety went away. I was hooked.”

“What made you get clean?” Duane Lee took another sip of his beer.

“Christmas, four years ago, we were all gathered at my parents' house. It was Christmas morning and Dean's son, my nephew Jared, came looking for me. When he was little, he always followed me around like a shadow. He was four and wanted to show me the remote control car that Santa had brought him. He found me on the bed in my childhood bedroom with a needle in my arm, shooting up. That was my rock bottom.”

Duane Lee set his beer can down on top of the cooler before wrapping his arms loosely around my waist. “Dylan's mom, Kristen, was a heroin addict.” He shared. “I met her when I bonded her out of jail. I helped her get clean. I married her. She had been clean for three years but when she had Dylan, she got really depressed and started using again. She overdosed when he was six months old.”

Holy fuck! Poor Duane Lee. Poor Dylan. Why the hell was Duane Lee taking a chance on a girl like me after all that he had been through? His wife had died of a heroin overdose. I had to seem like a bad risk.

“You are worth the risk.” He dropped a kiss to the top of my head.

Holy crap! Duane Lee was a mind reader. I turned in his arms to where I was sitting on my knees in between his legs looking at him, “Am I really?” I asked softly.

He reached up and brushed a piece of hair that escaped my ponytail behind my ear. “Yes, honey, you are.”

I couldn't help but smile a little bit as he reached up and cupped my cheek. He started to coax me closer. “I'm going to kiss you, Belle.” He warned me like I would actually want the chance to pull away.

When our lips finally met, the earth didn't stop or shake. No fireworks went off. That wasn't to say that it wasn't good. No...it was amazing. My lips tingled where his met mine. A pleasant warmth filled my body as a swarm of butterflies took flight in my stomach.

He pulled away much too soon for my liking and dropped a playful kiss to my nose. “You are so mine now, boo. I hope you know that.”

I did know that and I was in no way arguing the fact with him.

 

 

**_[MY WEBSITE](http://www.badwolfrose.com) _ **


	8. Chapter 8

As we walked the small nature trail that led from the clearing back to my house, I couldn't keep the stupid grin off of my face. Belle was everything that I had prayed she would be and a whole hell of a lot more. She was just as big of a smartass in real life as she was over text but she was also just plain smart and very sweet. She was so easy to talk to that without realizing it, we had stayed in the clearing for over four hours. It was after one in the morning when we started our walk back; her hand clasped in mine. I don't know why but I just couldn't stop touching her. Back at the clearing, I had made sure to keep her firmly in my arms. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I couldn't actually believe that a beautiful young woman like Belle had happened to middle-aged, nobody me. I was scared that if I let go, she'd vanish.

“What's got you smiling like that?” Belle's voice broke into my thoughts as the trail spilled out into my backyard.

We climbed the stairs that led up to my back porch and I playfully pulled her into my arms. “It's been a great night and I'm about to crawl in bed and cuddle with my girl.” I leaned down and gently nipped at her earlobe. “Why wouldn't I be smiling?”

She turned and wrapped her arms around my neck. “So, I'm your girl now, huh?” she asked with a sweet little smile on her face.

“Only if you want to be, boo.” As much as I wanted her; loved her, I wouldn't pressure her into anything.

“I want to be.” She nodded before taking me by surprise and leaning up for a kiss. It was quick and chaste but I was happy that she was initiating any kind of affection at all.

“Good, it's agreed. We're stuck with each other.” I kissed the tip of her button nose before pulling away and digging my keys out of the pocket of my jeans. I almost damn near lost it when I felt her come up behind me and wrap her arms around my chest. Damn, my girl was way more affectionate than I could have ever anticipated... and I loved it.

“Good thing too.” I felt her breath on my neck as she spoke and I was shocked that I was able to get the door unlocked. “I doubt anyone else would put up with either one of us.”

She pulled away as I finally got the door open and we stepped inside. I entered the alarm code and shut it off before turning around to face her. “Speaking of both of us being assholes...” I said making her giggle. “I still need your help pulling one over on Leland.”

“My evil mind is yours to command,” she replied as she took a good look around my living room. I was pleased to see a little smile on her face when her eyes landed on the pictures of Dylan that I kept on the fireplace mantel. “He looks just like his daddy... a total cutie.” She shot me a playful smirk.

“Boo, you did NOT just call me cute.” I glared jokingly as I started advancing on her. “I am ruggedly handsome or on a good day, sexy. I am NOT cute.” I caught her around the waist and stole her lips in a soul-searing kiss.

[ **_MY WEBSITE_ ** ](http://www.badwolfrose.com)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my beta read @Christlove88


	9. Chapter 9

As we arrived in the master bedroom – Duane Lee's bedroom – my anxiety was in full force. I didn't know how far Duane Lee expected this to go. Did agreeing to be his girl mean that sex was just expected of me now? I wanted to be with him but I wasn't willing to go that far to keep him. I had learned a long time ago to stop living my life trying to please other people. That road had led me to some very dark places.

I was so lost in my own head that when Duane Lee came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me I jumped a little.

“Belle? What's wrong?” He turned me around gently and reached up to cup my cheek. There was a look of true concern on his handsome face.

“Duane Lee, what do you expect to happen tonight?” I asked as I nervously started to chew on my bottom lip.

He chuckled huskily before pulling me closer. “I'm expecting to crawl under the covers with my girl and... sleep.”

I immediately relaxed into his embrace. “Sorry.” I looked up and gave him a sheepish smile.

“It's alright, boo.” His hand found its way to the small of my back and started rubbing soothing little circles. “Makes me kinda curious who you've been dating that you think sex is expected on the first date.”

“No one,” I mumbled and cast my eyes to the floor.

Next thing I knew, his hand was under my chin, gently forcing my head up so I would look at him. “Would you please stop acting like that's something to be ashamed of? Believe it or not, I'm actually happy knowing that my girl isn't the town bicycle.”

“Sorry,” I giggled as I tried to get a hold of myself. I was acting like a nervous teenager.

“You also gotta stop saying that.” He kissed the tip of my nose before pulling away from me and moving to the fireplace. “So far, you haven't done anything that actually warrants you saying it.” He leaned down and pulled the lever that ignited the gas fire.

Constantly saying I was sorry for things when I shouldn't, was a bad habit of mine. The cause of which was deeply rooted in my unhappy childhood. “If you met my family, you'd totally understand.”

He moved from the fireplace to his dresser, stopping to drop a kiss on my lips along the way. “I want to meet your family baby... just like I want you to meet mine,” he said as he opened one of the drawers.

He would regret saying that once he met the nutjobs that were my family but I didn't comment.

Duane Lee pulled a Denver Broncos t-shirt out of his dresser drawer and tossed it to me.

“What's this for?” I asked in confusion as I caught it.

“We forgot your bag in the truck,” he explained. “I figured you wouldn't want to sleep naked so...” He nodded at the shirt in my hand.

“Oh.” Was all I managed to say. I had been a little too blissed out back at the clearing to even think about grabbing my bag. I blushed a little at the thought of Duane Lee seeing me in only a t-shirt but when I held it up in front of me, I realized how big of a dude he was. The shirt would fit my tiny frame like a dress.

“I'll run and grab your bag in the morning.” Duane Lee dropped a pair of basketball shorts and a white t-shirt on the foot of the bed before coming to me to steal another kiss. Were all men this affectionate or was it just him? I know I'd never seen my father act like this with my mother or my brothers with their wives. “You can change in the bathroom.” He nodded towards the door in the corner of the room. “There should be an extra toothbrush in the medicine cabinet.”

Grateful for privacy while I went about my nightly routine, I slipped into the bathroom to change.

I had just pulled Duane Lee's t-shirt over my head and freed my hair from the confines of a hair tie when Duane Lee lightly knocked on the door. “Boo, can I come in and brush my teeth please?”

I opened the door and was rewarded with a kiss as he entered the bathroom. “Thank you, baby.

As we stood side by side at the sink, brushing our teeth, Duane Lee playfully bumped my hip with his own. I found myself thinking that this was a nightly routine that I wouldn't mind getting used to.

 

_ **[MY WEBSITE](http://www.badwolfrose.com) ** _


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the house phone ringing. Quickly answering it to avoid waking Belle, I was disappointed to discover that it was Beth. She needed me to head into work early. A client had jumped bond and we stood to lose two million dollars if he got away. The company needed this guy caught so badly that his dad and stepmom were catching an evening flight out of Hawaii and would arrive the next morning to join the hunt.

“Who was that?” Belle rolled over and looked at me with sleepy brown eyes.

“My stepmom.” I leaned down for a kiss. “A client jumped bond that's worth a lot of money and she needs me to head into the office early.”

Belle wrapped her arms around my neck. “Do you still want me to come with you or do you just want to drop me off at my place on your way in? We can pick this up later if you're busy.”

“Oh, no.” I turned my head and playfully nipped at the inside of her wrist. “I've been waiting to have you all to myself since the day I saw you for the first time at Safeway. This changes nothing except for the fact that I might have to drag you all over Colorado looking for a big-time drug dealer.”

Belle cupped my cheek in her hand. “Potentially spending hours on end trapped in a car with my handsome boyfriend, however will I survive?” she asked cheekily.

“I love hearing you call me that.” I couldn't resist leaning down for another slow and soft kiss. I knew that I should get up and moving but with a sleep tasseled beauty like Belle spread out underneath me I was in no rush. Beth could yell at me later.

“Yeah, well, I love a lot of things about you.” She took me by surprise when she admitted softly. I could tell that she was nervous being that open but she bravely held my gaze.

I gently pushed her to lay all the way back on the pillow. I planted a hand on either side of her head on the mattress and hovered over her while looking into her eyes. “You know what I really love?” I asked huskily.

I think she knew where this conversation was headed because her reply was a nervous and barely audible, “what?”

“You.”

Almost as soon as the word left my lips, Belle squeezed her eyes shut and gasped. I kind of figured she would be surprised but when she hadn't reopened her eyes after a few moments, I started to become a bit concerned. “Belle? It's alright, boo. You don't have to say it back. I just wanted you to know how I felt about you.”

Finally, she opened her eyes, eyes that were moist with emotion, and a smile came to her pretty face. “I love you too, you dork. Geeze, give a girl a minute to absorb the shock.”

And with those words, she reminded me once again why I had fallen in love with her. Forgetting all about fugitives and work, I took her lips in a hungry and needy kiss.

 

 

**_[MY WEBSITE](http://www.badwolfrose.com) _ **


	11. Chapter 11

So... Duane Lee loves me. Duane Lee loves me, I love him, and we are now driving around one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Denver, looking for the car belonging to his client that had jumped bond.

“Baby, I'm pretty sure we've driven all over the city. Are you sure this guy's even still in Denver?”

“Beth said the guy's been posting on Facebook saying that he's in Denver,” Duane Lee replied distractedly as he continued his search for the car.

Just to appease my own curiosity, I search for the guy's Facebook page on my phone. When I found it, I saw that Beth was right. The guy had posted that he was at a friend's house party in Denver but I noticed something that the other woman had missed. The fugitive had mobile location enabled on his phone. Mobile location said that he wasn't in Denver. He was in Telluride, Montana. Going to Instagram, I found a page under the guy's name. Sure enough, he was posting selfies from some resort in Telluride.

I showed all of this to Duane Lee, after I made him pull over, of course.

“Fuck!” Duane Lee punched the steering wheel. He took a deep breath before turning to look at me. “Boo, how far away is Telluride?”

“About six and a half hours give or take traffic,” I answered without having to think about it. “My aunt lives out there.”

“Up for a road trip?” He turned to me and raised an eyebrow.

“Why not?” I shrugged. A road trip with Duane Lee could be fun.

About halfway into our drive, we stopped at a small roadside diner for dinner. While we waited for our food, I again pulled out my cell phone. This time, I called the resort where the fugitive had been posting pictures from.

“Hi, do you have a Jared Bertram saying with you?” The clerk gave me the company policy about not giving out guest information so I quickly came up with a lie. “The thing is, I'm his sister. Jared plans on proposing to his girlfriend tomorrow night and I'm supposed to have the ring delivered with some flowers and I don't know what room he's in and he isn't answering his phone. I'm kind of freaking out right now.” I made sure the clerk heard a little bit of panic in my voice.

The lie worked and I was soon writing the guy's room number down on the back of his file.

Duane Lee looked impressed and slid his credit card to me across the table before I could disconnect the call. “Book us a room.”

We arrived at the Telluride Resort and Spa at a little after eight at night. Duane Lee decided that since his dad and step-mom wouldn't be arriving until the morning, that he would wait to look for his guy until then. We checked into our room (that cost more a night than I made in a single paycheck from Safeway) and were settling in when my boyfriend decided to surprise me.

“You know, you're really useful on a hunt.” Duane Lee sat at the foot of the bed and began unlacing his boots. “I actually enjoyed my job for once and it was because I had you to help me, boo.”

“Thanks.” I blushed and pulled my hair out of its ponytail so I could somewhat hide behind it.

“Don't do that.” Duane Lee reached out and grabbed my hand, pulling me to sit on his lap. “Don't ever hide that beautiful face from me, boo.” He reached up and brushed my hair away from my face so he could look into my eyes. “Come work for me, Belle.”

“Are you serious?” All thoughts of my shyness went out the window and I found myself getting excited. I really had enjoyed myself working with him.

“Dead,” he nodded. “You could have the title, office manager, and come out with me on hunts. We can even get you your bail license and you could start writing bonds. The pays good and I promise the company is even better.” He kissed the tip of my nose.

I giggled before I nodded. “I'd love to work for you, baby.”

 

 

**_[MY WEBSITE](http://www.badwolfrose.com) _ **

 


	12. Chapter 12

I awoke the next morning to my cell phone going off, letting me know that I had a text message. Doing some early morning, don't-wake-the-girlfriend yoga, I managed to grab my phone off of the nightstand.

_*** Dad and I just checked in. Room 667 ***_

I groaned and woke up Belle.

“What's wrong?” She picked her head up off of my chest and looked at me tiredly.

“My dad and Beth are here. I have to get going,” I told her regretfully, dropping a kiss to her forehead.

“Do you want me to come with?” Belle's voice was still husky with sleep making her sound a bit like Lauren Becall or Eartha Kitt.

I shook my head. “No,” I said firmly. “I don't want you involved in any actual arrests until you have your bonds license and a badge. Too many legal and insurance problems.” I gave her lips a soft kiss to let her know that it wasn't personal. “Why don't you stay here and get some more sleep? I'll be back as soon as I can.”

“Alright,” Belle yawned, rolling over on her side so I could move. I was suddenly very jealous of the pillow she was now cuddling close to her chest as she quickly started to drift back to sleep.

“Why are we even here?” Beth laughed and asked as I made my way out of the police station after booking our guy in. “You knew right where this guy was.”

“I gotta agree, son. I don't remember that last time it was this easy.” Dad clapped me on the back. “Good job.”

“I can't take any of the credit.” I shook my head. “I kind of dragged Belle along on this bounty. Without me asking her to, she found out our guy was here. She even fast-talked the hotel clerk into giving her his room number.”

“Is this the same Belle you and I talked about a while back?” Beth asked suspiciously. “Did she ask to tag along on this bounty?”

I couldn't begrudge Beth her suspicions. Leland's new wife, Jamie, was popping up more and more on my little brother's social media pages in pictures taken while out on bounties. A (not very successful) model, Jamie had hitched her wagon to Leland's star in a vain attempt to revive her failing career.

“Yes, that Belle and, no,” I said shaking my head again. “We were spending the weekend together when you called about this jump. Belle actually told me that I could drop her off at home and we could take a rain check. She never asked to come along – I wanted her too. Since I dragged her along for the ride she was just trying to be a good girlfriend and be helpful.”

“She was more than helpful,” Dad chuckled.

“Girl has some serious instincts,” Beth conceded as her suspicions deflated. “Jamie couldn't find a fugitive if they were standing next to her naked and holding a flashing neon sign.”

I tried not to laugh at that, I really did, but I couldn't help it. “Her instincts are why I offered her a job.” I was just going to go ahead and let that piece of news hang in the air.

 

 

**_[MY WEBSITE](http://www.badwolfrose.com) _ **

 


	13. Chapter 13

I woke up to the room's phone ringing. Still half-asleep, I grabbed the receiver and brought it up to my ear... all without bothering to sit up. “Hello?”

A deep chuckle came from the other end of the line. “I see you took my advice about getting some more sleep, huh, boo?”

Sitting up, I ran a hand through my hair and glanced at the alarm clock sitting on the nightstand. It was almost noon. “Damn, I didn't realize it was this late. Did everything go alright?”

“Easiest bust we've had in a while thanks to you, baby.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “I told my dad and Beth about you and they want to take us out to lunch. Meet me in the lobby in half an hour?”

True to his word, Duane Lee picked me up a half hour later. He drove us to one of the many small upscale diner's scattered around Telluride where I was introduced to Dog and Beth Chapman. At first, I had been terrified. I was young and didn't want them thinking that I was using Duane Lee for anything. I already knew about their problems with his little brother's new bride and the Chapmans' were on now on red alert when it came to golddiggers.

“So, Belle, Duane Lee says you're in school?” Beth asked as she took a sip of her iced tea. “What's your major?”

Duane Lee reached under the table and took my right hand in his, interlocking our fingers. “I'm double majoring in American and European History.”

Dog and Beth appeared impressed by this.

“What do you plan on doing when you graduate?” Beth inquired.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don't know. Probably teach high school or college level history. I picked my majors because I've always loved history and I'm still not sure what I want to do yet.” I told the truth.

“Understandable at your age,” Dog nodded. “At least you're being smart and still getting an education.”

“Let me make sure I understand this,” Beth smirked, but I could tell that it was playful so I wasn't worried. “You, sista, are educated,” she started ticking off on her fingers. “You have the makings of one hell of a bounty hunter, you had a job and place of your own before you met my step-son, and finally, you're a pretty little thing but you have never been an ‘actress’,” she made air quotes, “or a ‘model’, did I get all of that right?”

“Uh... yes?” I had no clue where she was going with this.

Beth turned to Duane Lee with a completely straight look on her face. “Marry this girl.”

 

 

**_[MY WEBSITE](http://WWW.BADWOLFROSE.COM) _ **

 


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